TEHRAN, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday that Iran is monitoring every move in the Persian Gulf "carefully."
Making the remarks in his weekly press briefing, Mehmanparast referred to the ongoing military drill of the United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf, and said the security and stability of the Persian Gulf is of "high priority" for Iran and the country will confront any measure that causes instability and insecurity in the region.
The Islamic republic has emphasized that the root cause of insecurity in the region is the military presence of foreigners and Westerners, he said.
With respect to the defensive power of the regional countries and the cooperation and convergence among them, there is no need for foreigners in the region, said Mehmanparast, adding that powerful states of the region are able to establish stability and security in collaboration.
The United States and about 25 of its allies started Sunday the largest-scale mine-sweeping exercise in the Persian Gulf, in a show of unity and defensive step to prevent Iran from attempting to block oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
|
